Combined opener and closure for cans



Aug. 25, 1.942.

l.. vARGo v2,294,102

COMBINED OPENER AND CLOSURE FOR CANS Filed Aug. 2, 1940 In venr auf: Va. #jo

Attorneys Patented Aug. 25, 1942 COMBINED OPENER AND CLOSURE FOR CAN Louie Vargo, Clarksburg, W. Va., assignor of onehalf to Frank Lucente, Clarksburg, W. Va.

Application August 2, 1940, Serial No. 349,724

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a combined opener and closure for cans of the character in which liquid food products are sold, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which may be easily adapted to a can and by a slight pressure thereon form openings in the can to permit venting and the pouring of the contents from said can and which may be easily adjusted to close the openings to exclude fOreiSn matter and insects from the interior of the can.

With these and other objects in View, as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features `of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating a combined opener and closure for cans constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 5 indicates a fragmentary portion of a conventional type of can in which liquid food products are sold.

In order that this type of can may be easily opened for the purpose 4of dispensing its contents and later closing said openings to preserve the contents and protect the latter from foreign matter and insects, the present invention is adapted to one end of the can when the latter is placed in an upright position.

An annular band ormember B has secured thereto a cross member 1 provided with enlarged portions 8 on which are secured lugs 9 preferably constructed of rubber to act as closure elements for openings formed in the end wall of the can.

The cross member 'I forms a support for a can opening element I0 shaped similar to the member 'I and is pivotally connected to the latter, as shown at I I. The pivot carries a spring element I2 which bears against the members 'I and III to prevent accidental movement thereof relative to each other.

The member I includes the enlarged portions I3 from which are struck tines or puncturing elements I4 each of a pointed formation. The

ZI I

member I0 is capable of flexing on the member 1 when pressure is applied to the enlarged end portion thereof for the purpose of forcing the puncturing elements through the end wall of the can. As soon as pressure is released on the member III it assumes a normal position extracting the puncturing elements from the openings. The member I0 may be then swung on the pivot into a position substantially parallelling the member 'I. The contents of the can will then be vented and may be readily poured therefrom. By rotating the band or annular member 6 on the can the lugs may be brought in position to close the openings to exclude foreign matter from the can and also to prevent entrance of insects thereto.

A device of the character described and shown in the drawing is extremely simple in construction, easy to apply and operate upon a can and may be manufactured and sold at a low cost.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A combined can opener and closure comprising a ring for tting around the upper portion of a can for rotary movement, an elongated member extending diametrically across the ring and having its ends connected to the upper edge of the ring, closure lugs depending from the member adjacent the ends thereof, a second elongated member of spring material with its central portion extending across the central portion of the first elongated member, a pivot pin passing through the central portions of the elongated members and pivotally connecting the second member to the rst member, an arcuate spring located between the central portions of the members and through which the pin passes and penetrating prongs depending from end portions of the second member for punching holes in a can top when pressure is applied to the ends of the second member, the lugs being adapted to extend into the openings formed by the prongs when the ring with the lug carrying member is turned to place the lugs over the openings formed by the prongs.

LOUIE VARGO. 

